BGK velvet disease  9/20/11
Hello, my wife and I are aquarium enthusiasts and have many tanks set up.
In one of our tanks we have a 5" BGK. This tank has recently experienced a plague of sorts of what I believe to be velvet disease. The symptoms are as follows; the fish with scales have developed a thick mucosal coating which seems to be of a fungal/bacterial nature and is eating away at their fins.
They struggle to the surface to gasp for air before falling to the bottom of the aquarium. The BGK and our Pleco, as well as a small algae eater ( 2") have seemed to escape unscathed until today when I noticed that the BGK's white areas around the face and back have turned a pinkish red color, the under belly is still white. I would like to treat the tank and save the few scaled fish that are left and at the same time prevent the BGK and Pleco for getting ill either from the pathogen or from the treatment.
What should I do to treat this ???
-Matt
<Mmm, well; first off, the symptoms you list... could be due to some sorts of environmental stress... poisoning of various kinds. I would first be testing for, doing what you can to improve water quality. Second, IF you have access to a microscope, you might well take a skin scraping and look at what might be the cause here biologically (if any)... You might have an infestation of Velvet... or Costia... or other agent. Please read re:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwparasitdiagf.htm
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwprotozdiagf.htm 
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/CostiaF.htm
and http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwvelvetfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>
BGK velvet disease, found as old draft file   11/13/11
Hello, my wife and I are aquarium enthusiasts and have many tanks set up.
In one of our tanks we have a 5" BGK. This tank has recently experienced a plague of sorts of what I believe to be velvet disease. The symptoms are as follows; the fish with scales have developed a thick mucosal coating which seems to be of a fungal/bacterial nature and is eating away at their fins.
They struggle to the surface to gasp for air before falling to the bottom of the aquarium. The BGK and our Pleco, as well as a small algae eater ( 2") have seemed to escape unscathed until today when I noticed that the BGK's white areas around the face and back have turned a pinkish red color, the under belly is still white. I would like to treat the tank and save the few scaled fish that are left and at the same time prevent the BGK and Pleco for getting ill either from the pathogen or from the treatment.
What should I do to treat this ???
-Matt
<Mmm, well; first off, the symptoms you list... could be due to some sorts of environmental stress... poisoning of various kinds. I would first be testing for, doing what you can to improve water quality. Second, IF you have access to a microscope, you might well take a skin scraping and look at what might be the cause here biologically (if any)... You might have an infestation of Velvet... or Costia... or other agent. Please read re: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwparasitdiagf.htm
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwprotozdiagf.htm
Was this ever received? BobF
Re: BGK velvet disease  11/13/11
Yes it was, however we ended up losing the entire tank, the Pleco and BGK both died the same day I got this, it didn't take long for them to succumb.
Thank you for the advice, I am keeping printouts for reference incase we have similar problems with other tanks in the future.
<Sorry to hear/realize your losses. BobF>

BGK treatment, "fin rot"   6/9/09
I have a BGK I have had about 18-20 months. He is currently 11inches long and about 1.5 tall. He has rot forming
<Due to?>
and I researched and found to treat him with Nitrofurazone. I can not find out though whether I have to isolate him or if I can add it to the entire community.
<Is this the only fish thus affected? I would only treat it if so... in a prepared, stable treatment system separately>
Is this a good medication to use, or do you guys recommend something else.
I have a few guppies, gouramis, Corys, and a couple Danios in the tank with him. Will it hurt to add it to the tank.
<It might interrupt nitrification...>
I can not find anywhere that's says not to. I have also increased the temp of the water to 83 degrees to kill anything else that may be affecting him as I know diseases come in duets, and so on. Any help you can give me would be gladly appreciated.
Patiently Waiting,
Will
<... Again, what do you consider is/are the net causes of this "rot"...?
You need to discern and fix this/these... NOT treat for symptoms. Bob Fenner>